Coutesy of The Land By Stephen Burns
For their 45th annual Dunoon Angus bull sale today, the Holbrook-based Harbison family catalogued 184 for auction, which was underpinned by strong local support as interstate interest from Victoria and Queensland.
Speaking for his family, Jock Harbison noted his pride in the offering, with an exciting, new and fresh mix of genetics and performance, had been grass fed until 3 January, when they were supplementary fed.
“All of the 184 bulls have been ‘Sire Verified’, which means that they are definitely sired by the sire that the pedigree states,” he said.
“This sale has 28 bulls catalogued that were used last spring over heifers and cows.”
The top price paid was $65,000, while 172/184 bulls sold for an average price of $12,700.
With his impressive shape, the top priced bull Dunoon S378, a son of Dunoon Prime Minister P758 was bought by Ben Nevis Angus, Walcha.
He had been joined to heifers on Dunoon for the spring ’22 joining and Jock Harbison thought the bull had ‘real sire appeal, excellent structure and docility, with a great set of EBVs’.
The bulls January 2023 TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation EBVs included -8.5 Gestation Length, +3.3 Birth weight, +101 400 day, +128 600 day, +18 Milk, +11.0 eye muscle area (EMA), +1.0 Rib and +3.8 intramuscular fat (IMF).
His Angus Breeding Index indicated $262 and his Angus Breeding Low Feed Cost Index was $437.
Jock Harbison was very pleased with the sale.
“That’s a pretty good result,” he said.
“In view of current saleyard prices, I hope we have provided affordable genetics today.”
The sale which was listed on AuctionsPlus, was settled by Elders, Albury, with Lincoln McKindlay and Ryan Bajada taking the bids.